


Pym Academy - A Crusaderverse Tale

by Aoratos



Series: Crusaderverse Tales [2]
Category: Ant-Man (Comics), Marvel, Marvel (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Slap was an accident, Background Relationships, Break Up, Divorce, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Medical Conditions, Men Crying, Parent Scott Lang, Protective Scott Lang, Scott Lang Angst, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:22:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23257615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aoratos/pseuds/Aoratos
Summary: Another Tale from the Crusaderverse - Hank Pym retires after crossing a line & Scott Lang takes charge of his life when it seems to be spiraling out of control. When these two men's paths meet trying to stop a man who holds the key to saving the life of Scott's daughter and together they form a bond in the form of Ant-man & the founding of the Pym Academy.
Relationships: Bill Foster & Hank Pym, Cassie Lang & Scott Lang, Hank Pym & Hope Van Dyne & Janet Van Dyne, Hank Pym & Janet Van Dyne, Hank Pym/Janet Van Dyne, Scott Lang & Peggy Rae
Series: Crusaderverse Tales [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1672285
Kudos: 1





	Pym Academy - A Crusaderverse Tale

New York, Manhattan - 1983

Dr. Henry Pym entered the room with a briefcase, the natural light of the setting sun kept it bright enough without lights on, as the orange light poured through the half drawn blinds. As he sat he took in that a woman who he spent the last decade married to and two people sat at the other end of a long table and a single solitary figure in the middle. He knew why the woman who was to his wife's left was there, she was a lawyer and a damn good one, named Kirsten McDuffie.

The man on his right however was someone he never thought would be sitting on the other side of a table, his best friend, William Foster, who looked miserable which hurt but this hurt more though Hank's face remained passive. After exchanging a brief nod to the two, Hank then looked at his wife in the middle, Janet Van Dyne, his now soon to be ex-wife. She wore her aviators as she sat just out of the light, the pair she wore the day after they had the argument that put a nail in their marriage. He then looked to the judge and nodded at the older man.

“Good afternoon, Your Honor.” Hank addressed the Judge.

The Judge nodded and replied “Dr. Pym, luckily Miss Van Dyne had calculated you'd be late and so you're actually right on time for today's signing.”

"Thank you for meeting me during the signing, Janet and for delaying on account of my timing. " Hank said politely to Janet

McDuffie, leaning forward with her larger frame, spoke in response "My client has told me to inform you, she refuses to speak at this signing, she doesn't want to draw this out by old emotions."

Hank smiled, wryly, and directed his words to McDuffie trying to keep bite out of them "I'm sorry, your client and I use to be in love, so I was just being kind and giving her at least a few words at her small generosity."

Foster spoke now after clearing his throat "Hank, let's not make this into an argument, she asked me to be witness and it's hard seeing you two like this, I thought you'd think it through and get back together to be honest."

"You always were my cooler head in the lab, Bill..." Hank replied "But I've thought long and hard and if she's willing to sign, so am I."

Pym pulled up a suitcase onto the table and opened it, he pulled out an envelope and offered it's contents to Kirsten. Kirsten got to her feet and walked around the table, grabbed the envelope before walking back and opening the envelope revealing the divorce papers. She set them in front of Janet. Janet looked down at the paper, her black bob cut hair covering her face and the aviator glasses she wore as she leaned forward coming into the light. She then picked up a pen and signed it without hesitation. After she put her pen down she pushed it towards William. Bill hesitated for a second then signed and dated the slot reserved for a witness and pushed it back towards McDuffie. Foster knew of everyone, he couldn't deny their wishes, especially if Janet signed.

McDuffie got up and handed the papers back to Hank. Hank looked at the paperwork, he noticed there were wet spots from tears, he signed without hesitation. He had caused said tears he knew, but since he caused them, he knew this was the right thing. While marriages were hard and tears were expected, he had done something he couldn't forgive himself. He then pulled out a second envelope, which Kirsten retrieved, it was documents for legally relinquishing his rights to see and act as guardian of Hope Van Dyne, their ten year old daughter. Janet gasped at this, looking up at him shaking her head but signed, Bill signed and after the document was returned he signed it as well. Even as he heard her sniffling, Hank didn't stop knowing if he did it'd be worse. Hank then pushed them towards the Judge who could tell this was a loving relationship but something happened to stop it.

“Everything is in order, I am going to process this paperwork but by the state of New York, I consider this union dissolved. I can tell this wasn't easy for both parties, so I'd ask you two to make final comments and Dr. Pym may be dismissed first as we Adjourn.” The judge said before lightly striking his gavel.

"There, now I bet you're glad I was able to confirm a prenuptial, no more of me in your money. Have a good life Janet, I am not good for you. I was never and that night just proved it, take care of Hope." Hank said, trying to remain distant and act like this wasn't hurting him to say those words before standing and walking out the room.

Hank could hear Janet stand, at least he believed it to be her and so he stopped walking, but he didn't look back. After a wordless few seconds he continued out of the room. He wouldn't look back even as he entered the parking garage. Only when in his roadster and had driven down the street that he looked back at the courthouse. He saw the building just as the first street lights turned on for the evening, and then turned attention back the world ahead. Hank served her the papers and could still remember her suggesting consoling, pleading, begging; but Hank knew if it could happen once, even by accident, it could happen again and the fact it happened in front of Hope, made it all the worse.

When Hank got home he started to deactivate his lair, looking at the several outfits he had worn since he started his adventuring. The classic red & black with blue shorts Ant-man costume always brought a smile. The red & dark blues of his Giant man days reminded him of the many accidents he endured and his first team up with Bill. Both the original yellow & mustard brown as well as Blue & Yellow of Goliath stood side by side and reminded him to never underestimate the smaller guy. The final one though taught him the most, the Yellowjacket told him that it's okay to be aggressive, but it could end up hurting the ones he loved. He turned that one’s light off last. It was just him in the dark, alone, with the light pouring down from the stairwell being his only beacon out. As he got to the top of the stairs he activated the security system and closed the door behind him. To Hank Pym, he was no longer a hero the moment he hit his wife and wouldn't pretend to be.

South L.A.,California- 2011

Scott Lang was at the end of his rope, he walked in and tossed the notice of his daughter’s latest hospital bill in the pile with the others. He just finished a shift at the electronics store that didn’t pay anywhere near enough, at least not enough to cover the bill and keep food on the table even with Peggy's check. He peeked into the bedroom where he knew his daughter was asleep already. Her dirty blonde hair on the pillow as well as the green line and the slow beep of her heart rate monitor. He walked into the bedroom and saw Peggy Rae getting ready for what she said was work, but he knew better.

“Hey Peg, How was Cassie tonight?” Scott asked as he tossed his shirt off into the laundry.

Peggy finished fixing her hair and looked at Scott in the mirror as she put on her makeup before saying “She’s doing alright, no attacks tonight, that or she’s getting good at hiding it. How was work?”

“Same old, same old, got a few TV sales but outside of commissions bonus of a few bucks I don’t think I’ll be recognized for it.” Scott spoke unbuckling his work slacks as he sat.

Sighing at the news, Peggy finished putting on her lipstick.

“So, are you seeing Blake tonight?” He then asked casually as he got into the tee-shirt and sweat pants he wore around the house.

He knew that wouldn't be what she expected to hear come out of his mouth.

Peggy froze, she thought she had been careful but he clearly found out about her new boyfriend “Yeah… how did you find out?”

The tired man sighed as he replied “On top of us, not being intimate in months,which I thought we just hit that point we swore we'd never hit. You brought him around our daughter, of course she’s going to tell her dad.”

“She needs a better role model….one that’s not a former criminal…one that can get a good job.” Peggy said, clearly letting out some frustration.

The Redhead rubbed his hand through his hair looking at her before shooting back “That’s rich, you used to like that about me.”

Peggy Rae looked around at everything but Scott, unable to say the next words while looking at her former love “When I was a kid and before Cassie. I’m sorry Scotty but we’re not 19 anymore. S&P...may not be meant to be.”

Scott had been thinking over the situation for a while and knew she was already set on this, Cassie had told him about Blake months ago and that they were talking about moving in together recently. That piece of information let him know it was going to be tonight he confronted her or she'd possibly be gone in the next few weeks with only a letter.

“Fine, we'll separate but I just want to see Cassie still.” Scott said knowing he couldn't stop the tide but he could at least ride the wave out.

The blonde woman gently scratched the back of her head with her home done manicured nails “I'm not sure about that Scotty, with her heart, her going back and forth between households, it may go wrong.”

Scott’s face turned to anger as he stood up and said through gritted teeth but measured his voice to a hiss “I don’t care, she’s my little girl as much as yours! If she doesn’t get better I’d rather know she went knowing I cared and wanted to be there. I know your new guy doesn’t like me, especially him being a cop and all that. I don’t like him, from how he sounds according to Cassie especially with him asking her to call him papa. But I'll let that go, however, I will see my daughter or it will be a court battle for her and your hands aren't much cleaner than mine, or did you forget who was the getaway driver they never could identify, the one I'd not give up though that was another 5 months on my sentence?”

Peggy looked shocked as she hadn’t seen him so riled up in a while, at least not like this and physically backed up, scared of him. Even when something was going wrong he was usually very level headed, even after she got pregnant, he didn't panic like she did. The fact he threatened to bring up her less than stellar past, that he took the fall for, showed he really wasn’t playing. As he had never thrown it in her face, like she did with him when she was angry. She almost was glad he was sticking up for seeing his daughter like that, instead of abandoning Cassie, like she always thought he would, when Blake was finally revealed.

“I’ll think over it Scott, but you got to think over if this will be right for her.” Peggy spoke in a very even tone as she walked to the bedroom door grabbing her purse The man watched the woman he had spent nearly half of his life with walk to the door, leaving him alone in their small bedroom.

He looked at his forearm where there was a card sized tattoo in a heart shape that read ‘S+P’ below it was an addition of a smaller heart which read ‘& Sweetpea’ which he got done in celebration of Cassie’s birth. He decided to focus on something positive instead of dwell on the coming sorrow. As Scott sat at his computer and looked at treatments for her heart defect that weren't full replacement as those could be a hassle, especially if the body rejected it. He found it wasn't just his sweetpea that had this defect as people from billionaires to movie stars had it like her, some didn't realize it for years, some died before finding out as it was a ticking time bomb in their chest all set to different timers. The man rubbed at his eyes as he finished an hour reading the account of some pathologist. Scott was glad they found out early, but unfortunately it was only because of an accident. Four years ago at a little league game is when her first attack occurred after a stray softball hit her in the chest. Everyone watched as the girl collapsed in the outfield. He can still remember Peggy screaming for him to do something as they stood over Cassie & Cassie looking scared, asking if she was dying. He can remember the doctor telling him she actually was dying as the defect was one that was slowly strangling her heart, forcing it to work harder until it gave out or burst. Just three months ago, the same doctor told him all they could do is make these at best last year or two and at worse few months comfortable. Then he left Scott alone to think after he suggested a funeral home that specialized in children. Finally Scott found something, it was insane that everything led up to the random chance he clicked but he found it, a doctor who had found a way to correct the defect without replacement using revolutionary microsurgery. Erica Sondhiem was the surgeon, Scott could see she was cute though that wasn't what he was interested in at the moment, he wanted to learn how to contact her for Cassie. He dug until he found an old website, from Erica's researcher days and an email address that he was praying was still active.

He wrote an email named “Lang, Cassandra, 8 years old, Strangler heart defect, advanced stages, PLEASE HELP! “ with all the data of his daughter attached and pleaded for her to take the case. Scott finally went to Cassie's room and sat on the recliner they set up at her bedside for times she didn't want to be alone or they just wanted to watch their daughter. He remembered when he woke up one morning for work and found Peggy in the recliner looking so peaceful alongside Cassie in the morning light, for the last year that sight was what motivated him every day to deal with that shit job that slowly was allowing him to climb. Scott cried as he laid there silently, he put on a strong front but he knew was in the process of losing them, Peggy to someone else and Cassie to a one in a million defect and it broke him, he saw no way out of this. He opened his eyes for the first time in a few minutes and saw Cassie staring back, visibly upset as she watched him.

“Daddy, are you okay?” Cassie asked on the verge of tears herself.

Scott felt himself wanting to cry harder, knowing she saw him in his weakest moment, but instead steeled himself wiping his face off as he forced the tears to stop.

He cleared his throat as he nodded after rubbing the tears away on his cheeks before trying to assure her “Yeah Sweetpea, I'm fine just told your mom that I knew about Blake, she didn't say anything mean but I just felt so sad for a moment. Like I told you it's okay to be sad and cry at times but crying doesn't always make the problem get better. I'm sorry if I made you feel sad.”

“It's okay, i just don't think I've seen you cry, it hurts though. Not like my heart does, but deeper inside.” Cassie said wanting to let him know what she was feeling as she touched her chest with the hand still hooked up to the heart monitor.

He almost broke into crying again but instead pushed himself to stand and gently rub his daughter's back.

“Sweetpea, I know this is a lot, but your mom knows that I know about Blake and she wants to take you to live with him, I've asked that she allow you to see me still. Just know if that doesn't happen it's not because I don't love you, it's because it's the only way I can think you'll get better, as traveling a lot tires you out.” Scott calmly explained, trying to do what was best for her.

“I understand daddy, but I want to stay with you, if we can do that.” Cassie said drifting off to her father's gentle rubbing.

Scott didn't reply knowing there was no way the state would let an ex con have a potentially terminal 8 year old. As soon as she was asleep Scott stopped rubbing her back and went back to the living room. He saw something he didn't expect to see, a notification on his computer that an email was received. Partially expecting junk he clicked on the inbox and found a reply to the email he sent not a half hour ago.

_Re:Lang, Cassandra, 8 years old, Strangler heart defect, advanced stages…_

_To: Me_

_From:Er.Sondhiem@EMI.edu_

_Mr. Lang,_

I'm going to be lecturing on the San Francisco area for the next few days, I can head to your area after to discuss possible treatment and grants to minimize payment on your end. Let me know if you can meet and when. I want to help your daughter play softball again, I use to play some college league myself.

Sincerely,

 **ERICA Sondhiem** ,M.D.,M.S., PhD

Excelsior Medical institute, New York

The final sentence of her message brought a smile to Scott's face and tears to his eyes. He found a way out, and was glad it wasn't illegal as he had stressed the situation looked to more and more call for. He spent the rest of the next few hours going back and forth on setting a date and answering questions not on the charts, before finally signing off, heading to bed and passing out just after three A.M. Things were looking up for the first time since the softball game. 

_**To be continued.** _


End file.
